RUSS DUERSTINE: How to keep our GOP leaders accountable

SAN ANGELO, Texas - As Tom Green County Republican Party chairman, I often feel like a marriage counselor. When the grass roots are in uproar and the messy side of sausage-making we call "the legislation process" gets going, both elected Republicans and their voters have their relationship tested.

I work under the theory that keeping our family together is the best way to thwart socialism in our state and country.

In our representative government, the dominant two-party system likely will never go away, even if that means a third party takes over as one of those parties. The best example is when the Republican Party was born under President Lincoln at the expense of the Whig Party.

So when the recent budget battle in Congress resulted in a less-than-satisfying outcome, and some questionable Republican bills came up in the Texas Legislature, I was bombarded with calls and emails from frustrated conservatives.

In modern times, 1964 and 1980 for the GOP and 1972 for the Democrats, we have seen a change of leadership and philosophy from within the party, instead of a party dissolving.

I believe that both major parties are in danger of a revolution from within or being taken over by a third party that explodes unto the scene.

We witnessed in the last election cycle what common conservative American citizens are capable of. I say it that way because much of the vote we needed to win that landslide victory came despite our recent elected Republican behavior, not because of it.

However, we have a short window of opportunity to prove we are serious about being fiscally and socially responsible. Worse than our party falling apart is losing our country if it ceases to exist as we know it.

Those who have complained to me that they don't like choosing between a liberal-acting Republican and active liberal Democrat in November elections are now at their wits end.

Yes, many of them are Tea Party activists, but just as many are rank-and-file Republicans. They simply want to see our guys fight for our values with the same tenacity and zeal that the Democratic elected leaders demonstrate in fighting for their stated values.

The left-wing socialists in our country are relentless, and they incrementally move our country into bigger, more intrusive and expensive centralized government every day. They get involved early and stay late.

To move the country back to its constitutional boundaries, we must be just as relentless, just as involved early on and just as willing to stay engaged for the entire two-year election cycle.

Are we not frustrated that many of the Republicans we elect don't govern as conservatively as they campaign? To help avert that, I recommend that Tea Party activists and disgruntled conservatives who care about fiscal issues form a coalition and perhaps call themselves Tea-publicans, dedicating their efforts to promoting fiscal responsibility in our party.

We must become the 800-pound gorilla in the room who seeks out those who believe in fiscal responsibility and the traditional power and limits of the U.S. Constitution. We must be willing to:

n Vigorously support or defend strong, active, conservative Republicans with our donations, volunteer time and write letters of support in editorial columns.

n Visit with elected Republican leaders with whom we are frustrated, and keep trying to work out our differences sincerely and politely before the next election cycle.

n Formulate questionnaires for candidates in our primaries to include incumbents, challengers and open seat seekers.

n Publish and distribute scorecards on candidate answers and past voting history.

n Hold debates and forums centered around our cause.

n Endorse candidates in primaries and be willing to back them through both the primary and general elections.

n Stay engaged. You win some and you lose some, but making steady progress is a key indicator the left looks for to determine success for advancing their cause.

n Attend precinct, county, state and national Republican conventions.

n Then diligently follow their actions once in office, and fight for them when the left attacks them when they are faithful to our cause.

The best way to effect change is to reform one major political party. Forming a third party will have the same effect as Ross Perot in 1992.

If Republicans had followed through with what they said they would do, we would not have lost our majorities last decade. Plus we will get only one more shot at survival if we capture the White House and all of Congress next year.